THE UK's leading winter livestock event is to take place in Cumbria this week.

Harrison and Hetherington's Borderway Agri Expo attracts thousands of farmers from Cumbria and across the country year on year, as its reputation as one of the finest exhibits of animals continues to grow.

It will be taking place at the company's flagship auction mart in Carlisle tomorrow (Friday 3 November).

The event boasts some major attractions: the prize fund stands at £17,000, over 42 livestock classes are shown alongside six breed society shows.

This year sees 360 head of sheep and 565 head of cattle, totalling 924 head of stock being shown in the livestock classes, with dozens of Young Farmers demonstrating their showmanship.

Event organiser David Pritchard said: "As the UK’s largest livestock trading business it is always a pleasure to welcome sponsors, exhibitors and visitors to Carlisle for Borderway Agri Expo.

"Throughout the year, the entire Harrison and Hetherington team always feel very privileged to have the opportunity to sell some of the finest livestock produced in the UK.

"By hosting Agri Expo it is the aim for us to provide a platform for our producers to showcase their livestock in a competitive environment and through the trade show to give people the opportunity to learn from experts in their field."

The livestock being exhibited highlights the quality of British sheep and cattle and the UK’s high standards of care in animal welfare and husbandry. In addition to the commercial sheep and cattle classes and the baby beef classes, Borderway Agri Expo also features six breed society shows which include the Aberdeen Angus Winter National Show, the Border British Blue Calf Show, Beef Shorthorn National Calf Show, Hereford Regional Calf Show and the Simmental Regional Calf Show.

Demonstrating the importance of Agri Expo to the industry is the support, endorsement, and active participation of its mainline sponsors: Carrs Billington, Morrisons, Norbrook, Lloyds Bank and Farmers Guardian.

Commenting, Andrew Thornber, Manufacturing Managing Director at Morrisons, said: "Agri Expo showcases the best quality cattle and sheep the UK has to offer and has now become one of the largest Livestock events in the country, with industry trades demonstrating the latest innovations and farming developments.

We strongly believe that events like Agri Expo are key to supporting and encouraging growth and development in British agriculture. We are proud to be mainline sponsors of this event.”